1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to an electrical connector including a socket contact housing and a pin contact housing and more particularly to an electrical connector having locking arrangements for maintaining the socket contact housing in coupled relationship with the pin contact housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
In the case where a pin contact housing and a socket contact housing are assembled or coupled to each other, it is preferable that both housings are not separated in packing or transporting, even though external force is applied to them.
Usually, in order to prevent the separation of the pin contact housing from the socket contact housing connected with each other, the connector is provided with a single locking device which includes a first locking member arranged to the pin contact housing and a second lock member arranged to the socket contact housing, both of which are adapted to engage with each other when the pin contact housing is completely received in the socket contact housing. The confirmation of the engagement between the first and second locking members is ordinary depended upon the operator's experience.
Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. 60-207270 published on Oct. 18, 1985 discloses a connector having a first lock means and a second lock means. According to the above publication, one of the housings is provided with a resilient and movable projecting member in transverse to the direction of inserting the socket contact housing into the pin contact housing, the other housing is provided with a portion for engaging with the above resilient member when the socket contact housing is received in the pin contact housing, and the pin contact housing is provided on the upper surface thereof with a hinged lock member which can be engaged with the socket contact housing received in the pin contact housing.
In the connector disclosed in the above publication, however, there are several disadvantages in making the hinged lock member and in the physical dimension of the housing.